Volvo V40 hatchback review - CarBuyer 

A NOTICE to anyone interested in this car!!! I own this same car except it’s black and is from 2015. If you plan on purchasing this, you must be fully aware that this vehicle has a very very strict service schedule. It is paired with a PSA (Peugeot-Citroen) engine that Must be driven on a motorway type road at speed at least once a week or else the Diesel Particulate filter (DPF) will get clogged. When this happens it will cost £1500 or more to replace. This engine is not suitable for people who do short journeys (15mins or less). Also the transmission is the notoriously unreliable Ford Powershift. This transmission requires an oil + filter change every 30,000miles or 3years (whichever comes first) otherwise it will slowly destroy it self (very common). Also this car does not feel as smooth as a traditional automatic, please be aware of this as it is essentially a manual gearbox controlled by a computer. Now this car in this specific engine choice (D2, Pre 2016) can be very reliable if taken care of. My personal car has done about 150,000 miles and is still going strong. However, it is also worth noting that as the Powershift transmission is a Wet dual clutch system, the clutches will eventually wear out like a manual car. This had just happened to mine although it may occur earlier (+/-100,000miles). This will cost £1800-£2200. Your first signs of clutch wear will be juddering on acceleration or harsh jolting in 1st & reverse. Or you may start to get an oil leak from the transmission bell housing due to the clutches being worn down and there being too much play, causing a seal to leak. I hope this was helpful for anyone looking to purchase this car and as a head up if you don’t mind spending a little extra on fuel but want to deal with less maintenance then I suggest purchasing the following engine types instead: D3, D4, T3, T4, T5. Skip the D2 from 2016 onwards as they’re known for developing cracked cylinders heads & walls along with premature coolant leaks.

To be honest this car catches my eye when I spot one on the road. The design in overall is pretty streamlined from the front to back. They are cheaper than the mercedes, audi's and bmw's.

The keypad is very useful for entering addresses to the nav. Way faster than rolling the dial.

Just got one, love it, looks & drives great, also the safest car

I own a 2014 R-Design D2 1.6 Diesel model in Blue. I can easily spot it from long distances. Love the car to bits and enjoying the toys it has to offer

Just got this one. Lovely car. R design to be precise. In Middle East, we have a lot of things standard. Plus it's a 1.6 Turbo. 180bhp. More than enough for a couple who wants to go have some leisure on weekends.

This is a masterpiece!!! It blows away the competition completely! Fabulous looking car!

"My name is Matt and youre watching CARWOW"

Just bought a V40 SE Lux and it’s amazing. So quiet, so smooth, so fun to drive and the amount of stuff you get for the money is crazy. Plus it’s cheap to insure, and very safe. The radar system stopped me having an accident on the motorway.

I saw this car on the street a few days ago and thought to myself what a good looking Volvo.

I really like Volvo, it has good looking cars, with great engines, and rather safe. Not even that expensive. They are really underrated.

Volvo for life, no BMW no Audi no mercedes ...this is one of the best cars in the world

The telephone buttons are there to use as a t3 text. You use them to quickly get to your contacts without scrolling endlessly through your contact list. They also make calling 118 etc a doddle.

04:35 Nxgga said, the conversation would be predictable and he'll know what he'd say next. Ahaha.

Saw one parked. It actually has a lower profile in real life, also due to the choice of black metalic color.

This review made me buy one and I’m here to report that I am loving the Volvo. What a brilliant little thing!

Happy to see Matt here

You guys do so well with the quality and AV professionalism in your videos. I also like this reviewer in particular. He is funny while not detracting from the purpose of the review. Definitely the best car reviewing youtube channel. Nice work!

my mum owns one and I love it. I've been to central Germany and back without problems. I'm on the market for a 2012 C30 R because I don't have that much money. My dad owned an S40 and it was lovely. I'd rather own a 118 or 3 series diesel but it has some mechanical issues with the distributionchain or a C220 but the roadrax goes though the roof. So I'll settle for a C30 instead eventhough I want rearwheel drive. For fun I still have a Ducati 848 so I won't complain too much

Totally agree with you mate. I own a S40 T5 and I'm seriously in love with it! No road noise and love "the numbers" in the console... hehe

I'm in love with this car it's just beautiful ! I've got two volvos at home, and i'm sure it will replace my old v40 !

Why do people think that BMW are better cars then the Volvo. BMW are over rated, expensive if they go wrong. The worse seats ever. The Volvos' seats are far better because they take better care of your back on long journeys. You said it yourself these seat are comfortable.

Wow this is the carwow dude!

"and a glow in the dark gear knob whoo", pretty good looking gear knob!

He owned a C30? I like this guy. Great review. ps: nothing beats Volvo seats.

rly impressed by this car. back seats look extremely comfortable and interior is rly nice. change those rims tho :D

You deserve a spot in Top Gear. Great show, and a great host!

think i paid £19950 without rear parking sensors 1st year road tax free do get no less than six gears not many on the road think 49.6mpg is best mileage figure i got from mainly non motorway driving still not regretting the purchase

this car is beast I have got one it is the best car I have got

I'm actually looking into buying this car. I'm very glad you guys are reviewing it...I love you guys...

one of my friends has a volvo s60 r-design with a d3 engine. it's pretty sweet. especially the exterior. and the interior is simple but also quite nice.

Volvo has always pioneered with safety.

it wasn't an airbag, but it lifts the bonnet when it detects an impact so the pedestrian can't hit the windscreen and anyway it gives the pedestrian a better impact angle. i think the actuation was with micro explosives and not airbags ;)

Being used to the 14" steel wheels of my car, 16" are huge for me :D

It looks great in metal. Photos don't do it justice though. A very welcome addition to the class

Why do they no make it anymore ? I hope they are going to replace v40 with something even exciting

I love the way the c30 looks. If only they would modernise the tech in it.

Can you imagine if his camera girl pulled him out of the car and they started a fight? Holy shit... That would be the most epic Carbuyer review yet.

The view out thing Is very nice. and the glow in the dark gearlever omg that's like the best thing ever. Make more of these cars volvo!

4:29 - That's a good thing now. For me at least (when cars have physical buttons rather instead of motionless touchsreens and touch controls.

ah right thanks, i had a feeling a very similar thing was in the XK.

No, i think that was the Auto Express review of the A-Class. Although i cant wait for carbuyer to review the new Merc!!

that gear knob is sick

Telephone numbers are for example there for short numbers, business numbers. For example in my company we have short number combination like 500 and within seconds You are already calling. I have 2011 S60 D3 Momentum and I absolutely love the vehicle. The infotainment system can be difficult at first glance, but so is iPhone if You have never owned one. In the second day of owning that vehicle I understood the simplicity - and to be honest, it is better than W212 Command system...

Do you live on this planet, mate? The Astra has received loads of design awards, together with the Insignia.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this car!

It's a beautiful and practical hatch. Dont really understand why Volvo stop its production...

And if you want a better engine you can also choose the D4 177HP or the T4 180HP !! But if you want to drive just in town the D2 1.6L Diesel is good !! just my opinion !! :) Great Review !!

what a masterpiece ... VOLVO 4 LIFE

Went to test drive the V40 yesterday - Lovely car but I drove the D2 1.6, and was very underwhelming with very little power compared to my 120D. Sadly not for me so looking for a D3 now with Auto, Sat Nav and Active TFT

49.6 mpg is very good in non Motorway . in motorway expect at least 70 mpg at 63 mph you can go to places like Spain or Portugal from UK and only having to stop ( once ) to refuel

he loves his storage spaces and cup holders 😂😂😂😂

Of course there are road noise it´s impossible to get rid off completely if not glue every glitch and where headphones hehe but i get you it´s barely there to hear it :)

Carbuyer is a very successful channel I salute :D

You, sir, are a legend.

By far best design than any of its competitors "A class and 1 series"

V40 r design and cross country reviews please

Mat you're the best, mate! Really enjoy your reviews. I get plenty of info and a laugh at the same time. I really like this Volvo and sure I could/would dump those 16s.

Some one knows how much per liter this wonderful car brings to you? Thanks

Nice looking car

the best reviewer on carbuyer!

Trust me, it looks great in real life, I'm with you on their cars having ugly asses(Especially the C30, thank god thats not being made anymore) but the V40 is an exception. I've seen it, driven it, and I'm buying one :) It looks absolutely fantastic, first Volvo that looks great from every angle.

WoW thats OUTSTANDING

Hahaha best way of demonstrating the parking function.

This car is a beauty

Mat you're brilliant. we want you as Top Gear host..or have your own show :P

I get a kick out of the pedestrian oriented safety systems on a lot of cars nowadays, and then go and walk in front of a ford f250 super duty where the grille comes up to my shoulders and is just a flat slab of metal all the way down to my knees...yeah now pedestrian safety to be had there.

really nice car, this and a mazda mx-5 would make me a very happy man

Back seat looks claustrophobic despite all its capacity.

lol best carbuyer review I've watched, and that's most of them.

So this is what we S40 lovers will have to deal with if we decide to upgrade later? Or take a step up to an S60, if we are sedan lovers? This reminds me of my A3 sportback, which I just traded for an S40, since I never really got to love its small size and nervous manners, save the fact it is a damn hatchback. So sad they are killing the S40...

why the mercedes A class is in the right corner at the finish of the video ?? You don`t reviewed that car ...

I wish this was available in the US!

Didn't the Jaguar XK have a pedestrian airbag where the bonnet would lift up a little bit too?

Volvo, an underrated brand.

First!!! Ha no one else can say it now - Mat;-)

It reminds me a lot of CLA and new a class in the front.

If I could just get the rest of America to accept wagons and hatchbacks... Seriously, I like the Mazda3 hatch, but this easily tops that if it was here. Cleaner, better visibility, comfortable head rests. OK, maybe a slightly bigger headlight. Volvo petrols aren't very good to start with, so it'd be nice to see diesels over here. Better if they would work with former step sibling Mazda.

Love this car and love him.

so telephone buttons are "old fashioned"? i recall u saying they where "handly laid out" in the focus...

Good Job...this car is hot. Matt is too good for fifth gear...isn't it off air BTW, like 4Car?

The New King of England MATTT!!

Bring it to the U.S....it's INCREDIBLY HOT looking

I think motorway MPG on this think must be amazing problaly 850 miles per tank . considering this car has a small tank

I like this car.

This guy is actually better than some top gear presenters but not as funny as top gear presenters

"The only number I know is my own, and I'm not gonna call that, because the conversation would be rather predictable as I'd always know what I was gonna say next" Mat, you sounded surprised! Classic!

Buy this instead of the Ford Focus for sure! (well...it's underpinning is based on the Ford Focus )

I think I will get one of these

glow in the dark gear knob now that's what I call cool

why does it say "Vauxhall v40" at the end?

Great reviews Matt! Keep up the good work ;)

Apart from the front, sides and the rear.

I was waiting for this review, thanks!!

The boot opening goes much better than the c30 which looks like a mini coffin car....

Beautiful car! Wish they sold it here

I like coming second to Mat..:)

The thing about Mat is that he's a younger and pleasant version of Jeremy Clarkson.

Volvo are saying that if you prefer to drive the A-Class than the V40, they'll give you some kind of offer. (Or something like that...)

it's a good thing because theres nothing big to complain about the V40